Terry's Reviews
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The American Nightmare Docurama - 2004 Directed by Adam Simon |
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| I really liked Adam Simon’s approach to this
73-minute documentary. Simon interviewed masters from that era; George Romero, Wes Craven,
Tobe Hooper, David Cronenberg and John Carpenter and mixed them with historians and film
scholars to get their respective take on why the films were made the way they were. Simon
intercuts footage from various events from the late 60’s and 70’s to help back
their comments about society and how the world was at that time. There is no doubt the
Vietnam War, the Civil Rights and the Sexual Revolution all helped shape the greatest
timeframe of horror films we’ve ever seen. NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD is looked at first and rightfully so. George Romero’s film certainly should be credited as the beginning of this GOLDEN AGE period. Romero remembers the way society was at the time making NIGHT and how culture is a huge part of his storytelling. Wes Craven speaks how he came to make LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT. It’s surprising to hear of the intellectual inspiration behind the violence and revenge. Tom Savini recounts how he used his experience as an Army photographer in the Vietnam War to help create the realism of his special make-up effects in DAWN OF THE DEAD. TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE director Tobe Hooper speaks not only about his film, but also the things that affected him in his childhood growing up in the 50s and 60s. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him talk as freely and it completely paints a different picture of him as a person and an artist. David Cronenberg discusses how the sexual revolution had a huge influence over SHIVERS. He also mentions how the body is always the focus of his work because we can all relate to it. John carpenter apologizes for ending the sexual revolution with HALLOWEEN. It’s a very intangible thing to try to describe how the world affects a film maker. It may seem that Adam Simon is trying to over intellectualize 70’s horror films, but after seeing this documentary you may feel it’s appropriate.
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